Conventionally, there has been known an electrostatic atomizer in which high voltage is applied to an atomizing electrode to atomize water held on the atomizing electrode so as to generate electrically charged water particles having a nanometer size and carrying a large number of electric charges. The charged water particles having a nanometer size has not only a moisturizing effect, but also a deodorizing effect, a disinfecting effect on molds and bacteria, and a suppressive effect on the propagation thereof, since active species exist therein in a state of being wrapped with water molecules. Further, the charged water particles having a nanometer size exhibit a longer life span as compared with active species existing independently in the form of free radicals, and is as small as a nanometer in size and thereby exhibits high floatability in air for a long period of time and high dispersive performance. Thus, the charged water particles has a feature of being able to drift evenly and over a wide area of air for a long period of time so as to provide an enhanced deodorizing effect.
In the conventional electrostatic atomizer, a water supplier includes a water tank containing water and a water transfer section for transferring water from the water tank to the atomizing electrode using a capillary phenomenon. This type of water supplier requires a user to refill the water tank with water on a regular basis, undesirably causing a problem in which a user is obliged to spend time and effort for the cumbersome water-refilling operation. Also, in the conventional electrostatic atomizer, in the case where water containing impurities such as Ca or Mg, for example tap water, is used as the supply water, such impurities entail a problem in that they react with CO2 in air, thus causing deposits of CaCO3 or MgO on a leading portion of the water transfer section, undesirably obstructing the supply of water based on a capillary phenomenon.
In order to solve the above problems, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2006-68711 discloses an electrostatic atomizer using a Peltier unit having a cooling part connected to an atomizing electrode to cool the atomizing electrode and induce the condensation of moisture in air, in order to supply water to the atomizing electrode. This electrostatic atomizer has a feature of being able to eliminate the need for the aforementioned water-refilling operation, and avoid the deposits of CaCO3 or MgO, because no impurities are contained in water obtained through the condensation.
However, the electrostatic atomizer as disclosed above includes the Peltier unit as the cooler for obtaining condensate water and requires power supply for the operation of such a Peltier unit. As such, power required to attain predetermined cooling capacity using the Peltier unit is greater than power necessary for obtaining predetermined cooling capacity using a cooling cycle which circulates a coolant. In addition, in the case where the electrostatic atomizer as disclosed above is implemented within various instruments, the use of the Peltier unit as the cooler makes it difficult to reduce the total size of the instrument and realize low costs and an energy-saving effect.